Chocolate
by Imyoshi
Summary: Just sit there.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing of RWBY.

* * *

 **Chocolate**

 **By: Imyoshi**

Cardin Winchester didn't do nice—ever!

He could just walk away right now and no one would expect anything different from him.

Hell!

No one expected anything from him period!

This turning over a new leaf biz wasn't exactly his style. And no one _actually_ told him to try to turn over a new leaf. This was solely all on him people! One-hundred percent Cardin, right here!

Figuring it really wasn't worth his time, he was about to walk away toward his teammates, but he saw in the off corner of the dining hall, Jaune and his teammates having a great time—together and as a team.

His mind then recalled how Jaune saved his life today against the Ursa Major and this made the bully sighed tiredly. Who knew all it took was some life-threatening experience and tough love to slightly change a guy's way at looking at the world?

Someone shoot him now.

Gripping his food tray, Cardin stared down at his meal, frowning at the carrots touching his mash potatoes.

Cardin hated carrots

Damn it!

Turning, he headed toward a table with a lone occupant and _slammed_ his tray down. The person jumped up in surprise, along with the entire student body, and stared fearfully at him, shaking a little in her seat.

The bully sighed—this was going to next to impossible.

"Hey." Cardin greeted in a forced tone to the Faunus he had bullied repeatedly, Velvet Scarlatina.

"W-What do you want?" Velvet whimpered, already sliding away.

Sitting down, Cardin rolled his eyes, digging into his meal. He could practically feel the eyes of all students on him and frankly didn't care.

"What does it look like?" Flicking away the carrots on his tray, he stared expectantly at her. "Eating. It's that thing we do here, right?"

Velvet didn't know how to respond to the mock and slid a little more away from Cardin. He made no attempt to stop her or even pull her ears, and instead stared mutely at his food. He wasn't even eating anymore. Instead he pushed the meal around the tray, eventually settling on to inspect the quality of the food on a fork.

"So?" he absently trailed, distracted. "I'm... sorry."

"... W-What?"

Dropping his fork, he ran one hand through his hair, mumbling something incoherent that not even Velvet could pick up. He then glared at her, causing the Faunus bunny to flinch.

"What do you mean _what_?" he almost yelled. Then he dialed back his glare. "I said I was sorry! How could _you_ not have heard that?"

"S-Sorry!" Velvet looked off to the side, not able to muster up the courage to look him in the face. Cardin couldn't help but feel he was making the situation worse. It took a lot of inner will not to get up and just leave.

So much inner will.

Calming down, he leaned back on his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose and wondering how exactly _pinching_ was supposed to help him calm down? Who the hell thought of this?! Dude deserved to be eaten by a Grimm.

"Look..." he said, pulling her sleeve roughly to get her attention. "I'm trying to apologize here! I don't do apologizes. So you know, sorry... for everything."

Velvet didn't struggle too much in his hold and silently waited for his next move. The entire time she's timid and shaking a little, like a rabbit pressed against a wall. Cardin could actually see the fear in her eyes and let her go.

"You don't believe me?" he felt insulted. Here he was, trying to be a good guy and apologize, and she didn't believe him. The nerve of some people. "You really don't believe me?"

Velvet slowly nodded her head.

He didn't know _why_ that bothered him so much, but dammit Monty it did.

Trying a different tactic, Cardin decided not to stare at her, finding his meal the upmost important. He stabbed the meat on his tray, thinking it needed to be cooked better. And the sauce was a little bland as well, adding nothing to the overall flavor and texture.

"Why don't you believe me?"

The question's sudden, unexpected, and harsh, but it's also Cardin. And she didn't answer for a long time, stumped by the question. Cardin was halfway down with his meal before she finally spoke up.

"W-Why would you apologize?" she mumbled.

Cardin couldn't fault her logic. Why would he apologize was a damn great question. Before today, apologizing was the furthest thing on his mind. Next to doing his homework and actually studying for Professor Oobleck's upcoming test.

Putting his fork down, he silently stared at Team JNPR across the dining hall. "Let's just say... I'm trying to be a slightly better person."

Turning, he found Velvet playing with her food, not having actually touched any of it the entire meal. That just spoke volumes to him. Even he didn't believe the weight of his own words.

"You still don't believe me... do you?" He got another timid nod and a look like she's expecting him to be angry. _Tch_! "Fine then! What do I have to do to make you believe me? Just hurry up and say it."

It's an awfully long time; lunch was practically over before Velvet squirmed in her seat a little, seeming to finally muster up some hidden courage. Cardin had long finished eating his food and had been waiting impatiently for her.

"Just sit there."

Cardin scoffed. "What?"

"Just sit there!" she managed a small glare. It's actually adorable. "You want to make it up to me? Then just sit there."

Cardin looked lost between her and the table they were sitting at, pointing at the very same table. "Just sit here?"

"Yes..." she nodded furiously. Whoa? Hidden courage indeed. "Just sit right there and don't say anything until I say so. Every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner."

There! She gave him a challenge she knew he'd never be able to accomplish. That way she'd prove he couldn't change no matter what. Bullies never change! It's a fact she learned to live with.

Glaring, Cardin could see some sort of fire in her eyes, and scratched the side of his face, thinking over her conditions.

Her request was simple.

Just sit there.

He could do that.

"Fine!" He _could_ do that.

Challenge accepted, Bunny.

 **Day 1**

It's to be expected, she mused. Cardin sat right beside her without saying a word and began eating a plate of pancakes and waffles during breakfast on day one. He didn't say anything through the entire meal, having built an impressive fort out of waffles instead.

During lunch he sat there again, ignoring the way his teammates tried to get him to leave. She wished he had gone so he could leave her alone, but he didn't.

No matter.

Velvet knew Cardin only had so much patience and it was already wearing thin. She'd give him some credit, he lasted one meal longer than she thought he would. Just a little longer and he'd leave her alone.

Dinner came and so did Cardin. Judging by the frown on his face, his last class must've pushed him hard. He was stabbing repeatedly into his meal in anger and Velvet feared he might direct his anger toward her.

He never did.

 **Day 2**

Cardin enjoyed the taste of his toast, drowning the poor loath of bread in an avalanche of syrup. He easily ignored everyone around him, taking a small notice at how Velvet seemed to be waiting for something to happen.

Like maybe him leaving.

Hehe, he's not giving up.

He saw the point of this trivial challenge and didn't plan to let her win. He'd prove he could change, damn it! Challenging him was a big mistake, Rabbit. Besides, it's nice to just sit and think for a change. Thinking about showing the bunny up was more than enough motivation.

That _and_ his delicious toast kept encouraging him to win.

 **Day 4**

Okay! She's be honest with herself. She did not expect him to _still_ be sitting here. It was lunch and Cardin seemed to be in a pretty positive mood, shoeing away his teammates with a simple hand gesture before they could even get too close.

So he lasted longer than she expected? Big deal.

Velvet knew he'd cave.

No matter how hard she started to doubt herself as he chewed into his chicken with a smirk.

 **Day 9**

Cardin has to pat himself on the back later for this one. He lasted longer than a week at this sit here and shut up game he was playing with Velvet. Don't get the guy wrong, he would not mind in the slightest if someone other than his teammates tried to talk to him.

She said he couldn't talk, not her.

And he did wonder where her team was at? Weren't people supposed to sit with their team at least once a day or something to build trust and whatnot? Didn't teams do that?

Did they have a different schedule than her? Was that why he never saw them ever?

Shrugging, Cardin glared down at his meal.

Oh! They're serving toast again for dinner!

 **Day 11**

Okay, those doubts from before have only gotten stronger. It's almost close to two weeks now and Cardin was _still_ sitting right beside her during all meals of the day, not looking like anytime he planned to give up and leave.

His teammates pleas have gotten shorter each time they've tried to steal back their leader and Velvet was starting to worry a little.

Could she have been wrong? Did he really mean that apology?

No!

Stay strong, Velvet! Stay strong!

Bullies always lie.

They _always_ lie.

 **Day 17**

People were starting to talk. Cardin expected that. Did he care?

Nope!

The only thing he cared about was winning and flicking some of his peas at Jaune before he became none the wiser. He even took in a small amount of joy as he watched Velvet find some amusement in this. No matter how hard she tried to hide her small smile.

Hn? Maybe it was true? Maybe rabbits really were tricksters in disguise?

Now that's an interesting thought.

 _Flick_!

"Who keeps doing that?!" Jaune stood up, looking around the dining hall for the perpetrator. "I'll find you!"

Not today Arc.

 **Day 25**

It had been more than three weeks of Cardin sitting next to her and not saying a word and Velvet was seriously starting to doubt her instincts. And as a Faunus, that was a huge thing to do. Her instincts were everything to her.

Watching Cardin ripping apart the meat in an animalistic way, but keeping his glare down to a minimum was beyond impressive. Even more his refusal to abandon her and join his team—his pact! That alone spoke such high volumes.

Could she have been wrong?

N-No!

Once she let her guard down, he'd strike her in a way she'd never be able to recover.

He wasn't sorry! Bullies never were, especially toward her. Her life had always been like that.

What made him so different? Nothing!

... Right?

 **Day 33**

Honestly, he's surprised he's still sitting here. By now Cardin thought she accept his apology. Really? What did a guy have to do to say _sorry_?! This being nice thing was impossible. No wonder he didn't do it before. He'd have to give Jaune a lot more credit.

What didn't surprise him though was that he'd gotten so use to her company.

He's starting to notice all the little things about Velvet when she thought he wasn't looking.

Like the way she wiggled her nose before she ate something was sort of funny to look at it, almost downright adorable. And he could tell her emotions based off the way her ears moved.

High and alert for when he committed pranks at others, low if she was sad about something, and they waved in the air for when she was curious. They even moved back and forth if she was relatively happy.

She was always happy when he flicked more food at Jaune.

 _Flick_!

"Seriously! Who keeps doing that?!"

That never got old.

 **Day 37**

She did not find it funny for once being on the other side of Cardin's pranks or acts of bullying. She didn't. It was just slightly nice watching Cardin trip that guy earlier who pulled her ears in the hall, on the way to their table. And even more amusing when he not so subtly dropped his drink on the guy's head.

Violence was never the answer.

Cardin smirked. "You know? I think some chocolate would go great with that outfit you're wearing?"

Most of the time.

 **Day 41**

Ugh! Carrots! Cardin pushed those aside in his tray, fighting back a glare.

He hated carrots.

 **Day 49**

She's starting to lose it. She knew she was.

Cardin Winchester really was _still_ sitting beside her, not talking like she told him to after almost two months.

Maybe he really meant that _sorry_?

N-No! No one ever turned that nice. Cardin Winchester didn't do nice.

But her instincts refused to back up that claim anymore as her hands refused to stop shaking, even when she held her fork, trying to enjoy her breakfast. She had gotten the habit from Cardin to build her waffles into a fort before eating them.

Sometimes they would compete in a silent game at who could build the better waffle fort. Velvet would always lose.

She planned to beat him if not only to wipe off that smirk he had on his face each and every time he won.

It wasn't because she was having fun!

Nope!

 **Day 56**

 _Flick_!

"Damn it! I will find you!"

He could do this all day.

 **Day 63**

Velvet had learned not to trust her instincts anymore.

They told her that she was actually liking Cardin's presence. Which was totally crazy! I-It just had to be!

R-Right?

Her instincts were wrong. So wrong! Yea, wrong.

Who needed them, anyways? Instincts— _psh_! Totally not for this bunny! So what if Cardin proved he could be sweet underneath all that tough exterior? It didn't change the fact that he was a bully. A big jerk who pulled her ears and called her names more than once!

Of course he hadn't done that in over two months, but the point still remained!

He was— _sigh_ —she didn't know what he was. But her instincts kept telling her she did know what he was.

She didn't know what to think anymore.

 **Day 68**

Cardin made sure to keep his trademark smirk and usual—weakening—glared down to a bare minimum today. Velvet looked like she was about to have a nervous breakdown today at dinner based off the way her ears where moving all around the place with no real stop in sight.

For the first time since sitting with her, _he's_ the _one_ scooting away from _her_.

Scared of Velvet snapping at a given moment, Cardin stared off to Team RWBY's table and heard them talk about the lame dance that they're forced to go to.

Honestly? Who would want to go to some lame school dance?

 **Day 70**

Velvet didn't know why—couldn't fathom it—but she just couldn't stop crying.

The tears were just rolling down her cheeks as she tried to eat and get better control over her emotions. _Try_ being the key word. Her will's not into it though and she dropped her fork, trying to wipe her tears furiously with her sleeve instead.

Cardin didn't know why, but seeing Velvet crying was getting to him.

A lot.

Cardin tried to ignore it, but the small _whimpers ate_ away at his emotional walls, and the food started to taste like ash in his mouth the longer he tried to ignore her tears.

Sighing, he banged his head into the table, hating himself for what he's about to do.

When did he get so soft?

"Hey! Hey!" Cardin shook her, breaking the silence. "What the hell's wrong with you? Did some idiot hurt you?"

Velvet didn't seem to care that Cardin spoke a word to her and broke their agreement. She also couldn't help but _hiccup_ at his concern. There was just so much irony there that it hurt _not_ cry.

She sniffed while wiping her eyes again, torn inside from a burst of happiness. "You're _still_ here."

Cardin couldn't find any reason to even feel offended. Her ears were rocking back in forth in obvious joy, and the Devilish Leader of Team CRDL smirked in a non-mocking type of way with arm and hammer thrown up.

"I thought I told you?" he flexed, earning a small smile from Velvet. "I'm not going anywhere. Breakfast, lunch and dinner you're stuck with me, just like you wanted."

Knowing that she's crying tears of happiness made him feel warm and strong inside. It felt nice. Not overconfident or arrogant, but nice.

Cardin then scooted over to her, pushing his luck by wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "C'mon! Forgive me already! You're driving me crazy!"

Velvet's torn in the inside, unable to look at Cardin, head down. "Are you going to leave if I do?"

"Nope!" It's not even a question.

Velvet smiled, hugging Cardin in a teary bone-crushing hug. Finally!

She's just so happy. No one had ever gone this far for her—not even her own team—and it's by Cardin of all people!

Cardin, stuck in an inescapable hug, managed to free one hand and grab his lunch tray. All that's left there was his leftover carrots he refused to eat, thinking maybe Velvet would like them. He's in a really good mood and felt generous.

"Here!" he gave her with the first smile Velvet had ever seen on Cardin.

Looking at the food, she slowly tilted her head. "What's that for?"

"Don't you like carrots?"

"Actually, no..." she smiled, laughing. "I really hate carrots."

"..."

"Cardin—?"

"Go to the dance with me."

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 **Author Notes:** I ship this—I _ship_ these two so hard. That is all.

 **Edited - 2/17/2018**


End file.
